Light emitting unit

ABSTRACT

A light-emitting unit capable of setting an address easily and reliably and checking the result of address setting obviously. The light-emitting unit, such as a LED unit  1  that constructs the unit of light emission of a display unit or the unit of light emission of an ornamental display, includes an infrared receiving element  7  that receives data including an address transmitted by infrared light; an address storage section  6  that stores the address; and a controller  5  that recognizes an address from the data and stores the address in the address storage section. Preferably, the controller  5  stores the light-emission patterns of a display LED  2  for a normal address setting and an erroneous address setting, wherein when normal setting is recognized, the display LED  2  emits light in a normal-setting emission pattern, and when an error is recognized, the display LED  2  emits light in a error-setting emission pattern.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a light-emitting unit disposedlengthwise and crosswise in large numbers to construct an LED displayunit or the like that displays images on a large screen.

BACKGROUND ART

Known light-emitting units disposed lengthwise and crosswise in largenumbers to construct an LED display unit that displays images on a largescreen includes an LED unit 1 shown in FIG. 4. The LED unit 1 in FIG. 4includes display LEDs 2 of the three primary colors, red (R), green (G),and blue (B), disposed on a substrate 3 such that they can be lit up.The display LEDs 2 and the substrate 3 are accommodated in a top-openbox-shaped casing 4. The display LEDs 2 are disposed such that thedirection of the light-emitting sections oriented to the opening.

The casing 4 of the LED unit 1 contains a controller 5 including amicroprocessor for controlling the light emission and driving of thedisplay LEDs 2 and memories such as a program memory, and an addressstorage section (not shown) for storing set addresses. The address ofthe LED unit 1 is set by inputting with a DIP switch and stored in anaddress storage section, as shown in p. 18 of Patent Document 1(JP-A-2001-514432). The LED unit 1, which has been addressed, isproduced as a finished product in such a way that resin is injected ontothe top of the substrate 3 and around the display LED 2 for rendering itwaterproof.

In display operation, a display control signal is sent to a set addressvia a wire connected to the LED unit 1, and the controller 5 causes aspecified display LED 2 to emit light in response to the display controlsignal.

A reference technique in another technical field is disclosed in PatentDocument 2 (JP-A-5-199243) which includes a structure in which theoperation-display LED of a transmission terminal is used also as alight-signal receiving element in setting, changing, verifying theaddress by the transmission terminal connected to a transmission line,wherein when the operation-display LED is turned off, it receives thelight-emission signal sent from a setting unit, and the received addressis stored in an EEPROM, a structure in which when an error arises in theprocedure of transmission, an error indication is displayed on thedisplay of the setting unit, and a structure in which a transmissioncommand for the setting unit to read the address optically outputted bythe transmission terminal is emitted optically and the address of thetransmission terminal is verified by the setting unit.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

However, in the above-described manufacturing process in which theaddress of the LED unit 1 is set by a DIP switch and then sealing resinis provided to produce the LED unit 1 as a finished product, an addressset by mistake during manufacturing cannot be corrected. Furthermore, anaddress set in each LED unit 1 must be administered at all times in thedownstream process, thus requiring much labor for administration work.

The invention is proposed in consideration of the above problems and hasas an object the provision of a light-emitting unit which can beaddressed easily and reliably, and in which the set address can becorrected easily.

A light-emitting unit according to the invention constructs the unit oflight emission of a display unit or the unit of light emission of anornamental display. The light-emitting unit includes an infraredreceiving element that receives data including an address transmitted byinfrared light; an address storage section that stores the address; anda controller that recognizes an address from the data and stores theaddress in the address storage section. The address storage section,which can rewrite the address, is preferable because it can write anappropriate address to the light-emitting unit as necessary. While thelight-emitting unit is preferably an LED unit that uses an LED as adisplay light emitter, it may be another light emitter such as anincandescent light or a fluorescent light as necessary.

The light-emitting unit according to the inventions is characterized inthat: the data containing the address is data in a specific format whosecorrectness can be verified; and the controller verifies the correctnessof the format of the data, wherein only when the correctness of theformat is confirmed, the address is stored in the address storagesection. The structure can prevent unintended writing operation to theaddress storage section.

An appropriate structure may be employed for the verification of theformat as follows: for example, a structure in which the controllerstores decoding data that decode an address from data in a specificformat, decodes an address from the data in a specific format on thebasis of the decoding data, verifies the format on the basis of at leastthe decoded address, and stores the address in the address storagesection only when the correctness of the format can be confirmed; astructure in which, for the verification of the format based on thedecoded address, for example, for a specific format in which there aremultiple same addresses, which are converted in specified regularity,the consistency of the decoded addresses is checked, or the fact thatall the decoded addresses are the same is confirmed; a structure inwhich the format is verified by sum check for the data in a specificformat before decoding; or a structure in which data in a specificformat having a parity bit, cyclic redundancy code (CRC) and so on isused.

The light-emitting unit according to the invention is characterized inthat: the controller stores a predetermined time longer than thequiescent time of a display control signal of a display light emitter,and determines whether the quiescent mode is continued for more thepredetermined time period or over the predetermined time periodimmediately before the recognition of the data input, wherein only whenthe quiescent mode is continued for more the predetermined time periodor over the predetermined time period, the controller recognizes theaddress from the data. This structure can prevent, for example,unintended writing operation to the address storage section in a normaldisplay operation of the LED unit.

The light-emitting unit according to the invention is characterized inthat: the controller determines whether the quiescent mode is continuedduring a necessary time from the recognition of the input of the data tothe completion of the extraction of the address from the data, or fromthe recognition of the input of the data to the completion of theverification of the format of the data, wherein only when the quiescentmode is continued, the controller stores the address in the addressstorage section. This structure can prevent, for example, unintendedwriting operation to the address storage section, for example, in anormal display operation of the light-emitting unit.

The light-emitting unit according to the invention is characterized inthat: the controller stores the light-emission patterns of the displaylight emitter for normal address setting and erroneous address setting,wherein when normal setting is recognized, the display light emitter islit up in a normal-setting emission pattern, and when an error isrecognized, the display light emitter is lit up in a error-settingemission pattern. The normal address setting may be for new setting orrewriting. With such a structure, the result of address setting can berecognized obviously and instantly.

An appropriate light-emission pattern can be employed; for example, oneor multiple display light emitters may be lit up at different number oftimes, time periods, and places. It is preferable to employ a structurein which, among multiple display emitters in different colors, a displaylight emitter of a specified color is lit up in a specified pattern or astructure in which multiple display light emitters in a specified colorare lit up in a specified pattern in sequence. The light-emissionpattern includes a case in which a desired display light emitter is litup only one time.

The invention also includes a structure in which the structure of eachinvention is eliminated to a limit that offers part of the advantagesinto a superordinate concept; for example, a structure in which, in datasetting by other than infrared light, the continuance of the quiescentmode immediately before the recognition of data input is confirmed andan address is then recognized; and a structure in which the displaylight emitter is lit up in a specified pattern according to the state ofsetting.

The light-emitting unit of the invention recognizes an address byreceiving infrared light and sets the address or rewrite to the address,thus offering the advantage that it can set the address reliably andeasily, and correct the set address easily.

With the structure in which the format of the received data is verifiedand the quiescent mode in address setting is checked, erroneous writingoperation can be surely prevented, allowing correct address setting.

Since the fact that an address was set normally or rewritten can bechecked by the light emission of the display LED in a specified pattern,the result of address setting or rewriting can be checked easily,obviously and instantly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1(a) is a plan view of an LED unit according to an embodiment ofthe invention;

FIG. 1(b) is a front view of the LED unit in FIG. 1(a);

FIG. 1(c) is a side view of the LED unit in FIG. 1(b);

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the LED unit and a setting unit accordingto the embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for the address setting for the LED unit accordingto the embodiment;

FIG. 4(a) is a plan view of a conventional LED unit;

FIG. 4(b) is a front view of the LED unit in FIG. 4(a); and

FIG. 4(c) is a side view of the LED unit in FIG. 4(b).

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

An embodiment of a light-emitting unit according to the invention and anaddress setting therefor will be described. FIG. 1 is a diagram of anLED unit that is an embodiment of the light-emitting unit. FIG. 2 is ablock diagram of the LED unit and a setting unit according to theembodiment.

The LED unit 1 of the embodiment is disposed lengthwise and crosswise inlarge numbers, and constructs a light-emitting unit of an LED displayunit that displays images on a large screen, whose appearance issubstantially the same as that of the related art in FIG. 4.Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, the LED unit 1 includes a collectionof the image display LEDs 2 of the three primary colors, red (R), green(G), and blue (B), such that they are lit up, the display LEDs 2 beingdisposed in flat shape on specified portions on the substantially squaresubstrate 3. The LED unit 1 of the embodiment has multiple display LEDs2 of red, green, and blue colors, in which three blue LEDs are disposedin the center, around which three red LEDs and blue LEDs are disposed.

Furthermore, the LED unit 1 of the embodiment has an infrared receivingelement 7 that receives a bit string in a specified format, to bedescribed later, in position on the substrate 3. The display LED 2, theinfrared receiving element 7, and the substrate 3 are accommodated inthe top-open box casing 4. The display LED 2 is disposed with thedirection of the light-emitting section directed to the opening. Theinfrared receiving element 7 is disposed with the receiving sectiondirected to the opening.

As shown in FIG. 2, the casing 4 of the LED unit 1 accommodates acontroller 5 including a microprocessor for controlling specifiedoperations, such as the confirmation of a quiescent mode (to bedescribed later), recognition, decoding, verification of the bit stringin a specified format, writing and comparison of addresses, and drivingof the display LED 2; memories such as a program memory for storingspecified control programs that cooperate with the microprocessor, aworking memory and so on, and memories for storing predeterminedlight-emission patterns, a predetermined time in Condition 1 (to bedescribed later), necessary data and so on; and an address storagesection 6 for storing set addresses in a rewritable manner. The addressstorage section 6 is a memory such as an EEPROM that stores addresseselectrically in a rewritable manner, which is capable of multiple timesof rewriting.

Between the infrared receiving element 7 and the controller 5 isprovided a signal converter circuit (not shown) for converting anoptical signal to an electrical signal, whereby the address in aninfrared signal that the infrared receiving element 7 receives or a bitstring in a specified format is converted to an electrical signalthrough the signal converter circuit, and it is inputted to thecontroller 5. The signal converter circuit may be an appropriateexisting signal converter circuit; for example, the circuit structure inPatent Document 2 can be employed. Reference symbol P is a power source,which supplies a current that the LED unit 1, or the controller 5 and soon need for specified operations.

In normal display operation, the LED unit 1 receives a display controlsignal for the address set in the address storage section 6 through awire connected to the LED unit 1, and the controller 5 makes a specifieddisplay LED 2 emit light in response to the input of the display controlsignal.

As shown in FIG. 2, a setting unit 10 includes a controller 11 includinga microprocessor for controlling specified operations, such as storingthe address by the setting unit 10, coding the address to a bit stringin a specified format, and transmission, memories, such as a programmemory for storing specified control programs that cooperate with themicroprocessor, working memories and so on, and memories for storingnecessary data and addresses; an input section 12 capable of specifiedinput such as a switch for inputting addresses to the setting unit 10and a switch for transmitting the inputted addresses or the bit stringin a specific format; and an infrared emitting element 13 fortransmitting addresses or the bit string in a specific format byemitting infrared light.

Between the controller 11 and the infrared emitting element 13 isprovided a signal converter circuit (not shown) for converting anelectrical signal to an optical signal, whereby the address in anelectrical signal outputted from the controller 11 or a bit string in aspecified format is converted to an optical signal through the signalconverter circuit, and it is emitted from the infrared emitting element13 for transmission. The signal converter circuit may be an appropriateexisting signal converter circuit; for example, the circuit structure inPatent Document 2 can be used. Reference symbol P is a power source,which supplies a current that the setting unit 10, or the controller 11and so on need for specified operations.

Setting an address to the LED unit 1 with the setting unit 10 will nowbe described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart for the address setting for the LEDunit according to the embodiment.

As a precondition, the setting or writing of an address to the LED unit1 is allowed only when Conditions 1 and 2 are satisfied, Condition 1:the controller 5 is in quiescent mode in which it does not recognize theinput of a display control signal and so on for a predetermined time,about one second, set in a storage region of the memory in thecontroller 5 immediately before the controller 5 recognizes the input ofa bit string in a specific format by receiving infrared light, as willbe described later, Condition 2: the controller 5 continues thequiescent mode in which it does not recognize the input of a displaycontrol signal and so on for the necessary time from the time when thecontroller 5 recognizes the input of a bit string until the time whenanalytical determination by the controller 5 whether the bit stringfollows the specific format is completed or until the time whenextraction of the address from the bit string after the analyticaldetermination is completed.

In other words, in the LED unit 1, setting or writing of an address tothe address storage section 6 is allowed only when a quiescent mode iscontinued in which the controller 5 does not recognize the input of adisplay control signal and so on continuously for the predetermined timeimmediately before the controller 5 recognizes the input of a bitstring, and the necessary time from the time when the controller 5recognizes the input of a bit string until the time when the analyticaldetermination by the controller 5 whether the bit string follows thespecific format is completed, or the extraction of the address iscompleted.

The predetermined time in Condition 1 is set longer than the quiescenttime contained intermittently in the display control signal, forexample, about 100 ms to 10 sec, for the quiescent time for the displaycontrol signal from about 1 μs to 100 ms based on the image-data updatecycle. It is preferable to set the predetermined time in Condition 1 tothe order of ten times as long as the no display control signal time forsecurity, and to set so long that does not decrease working efficiency.The necessary time in Condition 2 depends on the format of the specificformat and the bit rate, for example, from about 1 ms to 1 sec.

When setting an address to the LED unit 1 by the setting unit 10, thesetter of the address disposes the setting unit 10 in a position or at adistance that allows good infrared communication with the LED unit 1,and inputs the address to be set to the setting unit 10 through theinput section 12 of the setting unit 10. The controller 11 of thesetting unit 10 recognizes the inputted address in response to the inputof the address and stores it in a specified storage region of the memoryin the controller 11 (S1).

After the address setter inputs the address to the LED unit 1 throughthe input section 12, the controller 11 in the setting unit 10 reads theaddress stored in the specified storage region, and encodes the addresson the basis of stored encoding data to generate a bit string in aspecific format or data in a specific format for emitting infrared light(S2). The controller 11 then drives the infrared emitting element 13 toemit infrared light, applies the infrared light to the infraredreceiving element 7 in the LED unit 1, thereby transmitting the bitstring or data in a specific format to the LED unit 1 (S3). In thetransmission, the signal converter circuit converts the bit stringoutputted from the controller 11 from an electrical signal to an opticalsignal.

In the generation of the bit string or data in a specific format, thecontroller 11 generates, for example, 256 bytes of one-byte address datathat stores a specific address, in other words, 256 items of addressdata that stores the same data in cooperation with a given program andencoding data stored in the memory, performs binary addition to the 1stto 256th address data in sequence to generate address conversion data,and sets the address conversion data between the start bit and the stopbit in start-stop synchronization. The controller 11 then calculates thetotal value of all the address conversion data used in sum check, andsets one-byte total-value data that stores the total value between thestart bit and the stop bit in start-stop synchronization, therebygenerating a very redundant bit string or data in a specific format onthe basis of the 1st to 256th address conversion data, the 257thtotal-value data and so on.

The LED unit 1 receives the bit string or data in a specific formattransmitted from the setting unit 10 with the infrared receiving element7 (S4), and converts the optical signal to an electrical signal via thesignal converter circuit. Then the bit string converted to theelectrical signal is inputted to the controller 5. The controller 5 inthe LED unit 1 recognizes the input of the bit string or data (S5), anddetermines, immediately before the recognition of the bit string,whether the controller 5 is in quiescent mode in which it has notrecognized the input of a signal for a specified time period or more inCondition 1 (S6), wherein when it is not in quiescent mode, the inputtedstring or data is deleted or abandoned. The lapse of the specifiedquiescent time is recognized by using a CPU clock, a built-in timer,etc.

When it is in quiescent mode or Condition 1 is satisfied, the controller5 in the LED unit 1 analyzes to determine whether the bit string or dataconforms to the specific format (S7). In the analytical determination,the controller 5 recognizes the address conversion data in the inputtedbit string or data in cooperation with the given program stored in thememory, and calculates the total value thereof. The controller 5 alsorecognizes the received total value from the total-value data in theinputted bit string or data, and compares the calculated total value andthe received total value by comparing the lower bits and the like todetermine whether the total values agree with each other by sum check,thereby verifying the format.

The controller 5 performs binary subtraction to the recognized 1st to256th address conversion data in sequence on the basis of the decodingdata corresponding to the encoding data of the setting unit 10 toacquire address data from each address conversion data, and compares theacquired address data to determine whether the address data is the sameaddress or the same address data, thereby verifying the format.

As a result of analytical determination by the format verification, whenthe controller 5 recognized that the total values do not agree with eachother by sum check or address data different from the foregoing addressdata is contained and so determines that the bit string or data does notconform to the specific format, the input bit string or data is deletedor abandoned.

As a result of analytical determination by the format verification, whenthe controller 5 recognized that the total values agree with each otherby sum check, and the address data is the same address or the sameaddress data and so determines that the bit string or data conforms tothe specific format, the controller 5 recognizes the address in theaddress data, temporarily stores the recognized address in a specifiedstorage region of the memory in the controller 5 (S8), and writes therecognized address in a specified storage region of the address storagesection 6 to store it (S9). When a set address is present in thespecified storage region of the address storage section 6 in thewriting, the controller 5 executes the process of rewriting the presentaddress to the recognized address.

Then the controller 5 of the LED unit 1 reads the set address written tothe specified storage region of the address storage section 6 and storedtherein, and determines whether the set address agrees with the addressthat is temporarily stored in the specified storage region of the memoryin the controller 5 by comparison (S10). As a result of the comparison,when the read set address and the temporarily stored address agrees witheach other, the controller 5 reads a normally set specifiedlight-emission pattern stored in a storage region of the memory incorrespondence with normal address setting, and drives the display LED 2according to the normally-set light-emission pattern to emit light(S11).

On the other hand, as a result of the comparison, when the read setaddress and the temporarily stored address do not agrees with eachother, the controller 5 reads a mismatch-error light-emission patternstored in a storage region of the memory in correspondence with themismatch of address, and drives the display LED 2 according to themismatch-error light-emission pattern to emit light (S12).

When the address storage section 6 does not normally operate whenwriting an address to the address storage section 6 or reading a setaddress stored in the address storage section 6 to compare with thetemporarily stored address, the controller 5 reads amemory-abnormality-error light-emission pattern stored in a specifiedstorage region of the memory in correspondence with the abnormality ofthe address storage section 6, and drives the display LED 2 according tothe memory-abnormality-error light-emission pattern to emit light. Inaddition, for example, when a memory that outputs the status to thecontroller 5, such as a general serial EEPROM, is used as the addressstorage section 6, the controller 5 can determine a memory abnormalityerror that the address storage section 6 does not normally operate, fromthe status outputted from the address storage section 6 to thecontroller 5 in writing.

The LED unit 1 according to the embodiment receives data containingaddress information via infrared light by the infrared receiving element7, thereby being allowed to set the address into the address storagesection 6 on the basis of the data or to rewrite the address in theaddress storage section 6. The LED unit 1 can also rewrite the addressin the address storage section 6, easily set an address unique to theLED unit 1, or easily correct the set address.

For example, after the LED unit 1 that is the unit of light emission isdisposed crosswise and lengthwise at specified intervals or adjacent toone another crosswise and lengthwise to form an LED display unit, theaddress setting or resetting for the LED unit 1 can easily be performedwithout electrical wire connection with the setting unit 10, allowingflexible setting for various environments. Also the work of setting theaddress before the manufacture or completion of the LED unit 1 and thework of administering the address during the manufacture can be omitted,increasing working efficiency.

Since a necessary number of LED units 1 can be addressed and used afterthe LED units 1 have been mass-produced, the LED units 1 can bemanufactured at a high yield rate and used effectively. Also awater-proof structure with sealing resin or the like, which is difficultfor a DIP switch, can easily be provided.

As shown in FIG. 2, a display control signal is constantly inputted tothe controller 5 of the LED unit 1 in a normal display operation.Although the display control signal includes intermittent very shortquiescent time, the controller 5 is prevented from misconceiving thequiescent time of the display control signal as the predetermined timein a normal display operation to cause an unintended writing operationaccording to the following display control signal by setting thepredetermined time in Condition 1 longer than the quiescent time of thedisplay control signal. Since the quiescent time of the display controlsignal is very short, there is generally no possibility in normaldisplay operation that the quiescent time may continue for thepredetermined time in Condition 2 and as such, the occurrence ofunintended writing operation due to the display control signal can beprevented.

In the LED unit 1 according to the embodiment, the occurrence ofunintended writing operation to the address storage section 6 can bereliably prevented with high safety, for example, in the normal displayoperation of the LED unit 1 by making a request for satisfying both ofConditions 1 and 2 in address setting or writing. For example, only withCondition 2, in the event that a quiescent time continues for aspecified time from the recognition of a signal by the controller 5,there remains the possibility of unintended writing operation. However,such writing operation can be prevented with reliability owing toCondition 1.

Furthermore, when an address to be set to the LED unit 1 is sent fromthe setting unit 10 by infrared light, the address is sent in a bitstring of a specific format that the LED unit 1 can verify, thecorrectness of the address is verified by determining whether the bitstring received by the LED unit 1 conforms to a specific format, whereinonly when it conforms to the specific format, an address extracted fromthe bit string is set. Accordingly, for example, when the infraredreceiving element 7 receives bit strings of various disturbance lightsat random in normal display operation or maintenance etc., thepossibility of writing the information in the received bit strings as anaddress by misconception can be eliminated or minimized.

By the combination of format verification for the bit string and thewriting operation that satisfies Conditions 1 and 2, in other words, byrequiring to satisfy the condition for permission by verifying aspecific format or signal pattern and the condition for permission by aspecific environment, unintended writing at the time other than addresssetting or erroneous writing to the address storage section 6 can beprevented reliably even in any situation after the LED display unit orthe LED unit 1 is powered on.

Only in the quiescent time or when the Condition 1 is satisfied, thesubsequent analytical determination on a bit string and so forth areexecuted. Accordingly, for example, the situation in which the analysisis performed with the quiescent time of the display control signalmisperceived can be prevented with reliability, so that needlessanalyzing process can be prevented and complication of the controlprogram such as a program adaptable to such analyzing process can beprevented.

With this structure, the display LED 2 etc. emits light in a specificemission pattern according to the result of address setting.Accordingly, the setter of the address can correctly and instantlyrecognize that the LED unit 1 was correctly addressed by the lightemission in a normally set emission pattern, that the LED unit 1 couldnot been addressed correctly and a mismatch error has occurred as errortype by the light emission in a mismatch-error emission pattern, andthat the LED unit 1 could not been addressed correctly and amemory-abnormality error has been generated by the light emission in amemory-abnormality-error emission pattern. Thus, correct measuresdepending on error types can be taken immediately.

The LED unit 1 according to the embodiment has been described for thestructure in which the display LED 2 emits light in predeterminedpatterns for a mismatch error and a memory-abnormality error. Also forother errors, specified emission patterns for the display LED 2, whichcorrespond to the error types in addressing the storage section 6, areset in a storage region of the memory in the controller 5, and thecontroller 5 reads a light-emission pattern corresponding to the errortype and as such, the display LED 2 can emit light in the light-emissionpattern.

The error type corresponding to the same light-emission pattern to beset can be classified as appropriate. For example, the controller 5 mayread the set light-emission pattern on the basis of information on thewriting and reading operation, depending on whether the error type is amemory-abnormality error when the address storage section 6 does notreact correctly when an address is written to a specified region of theaddress storage section 6 or a memory-abnormality error when the addressstorage section 6 did not react correctly when a set address stored inthe address storage section 6 is read to compare it with a temporarilystored address. Furthermore, it is also possible to set the samelight-emission pattern for all the errors, thus setting only twolight-emission patterns for a normal setting and an error.

The light-emission pattern for the display LED 2 which indicates theresult of address setting can be an appropriate light-emission patternthat allows recognition of the result of address setting. For example,when an address is set normally, a green display LED is lit up for onesecond after a blue display LED was lit up for one second; for amismatch error in which the read set address and the temporarily storedaddress do not match, a red display LED is lit up for one second after ablue display LED was lit up for one second; for a memory-abnormalityerror in which the address storage section 6 does not react normally, agreen display LED is lit up for one second after a red display LED waslit up for one second.

For example, when a light-receiving LED in a specified color, such asyellow, or a transmitting-receiving LED is used as the infraredreceiving element 7, a specified light-emission pattern of the displayLED 2 and a specified light-emission pattern of the receiving LED etc.serving as the infrared receiving element 7 corresponding to the stateof address setting and so on are set in a storage region of the memoryin the controller 5; the controller 5 reads the light-emission patternof the display LED 2 or the receiving LED and so on depending on theresult of the address setting, whether normal setting or an error of aspecified type; and so the display LED 2, the receiving LED or the likecan emit light. Also, light emission of both the display LED 2 and thereceiving LED in a predetermined light-emission pattern can be used.This structure also offers the same advantages as those of lightemission only in the light-emission pattern by the display LED 2.

Example of the light-emission pattern in the case of light emission inthe light-emission pattern of the display LED 2 and the receiving LEDand so on are as follows: when an address is set normally, a greendisplay LED is lit up for one second after a blue display LED was lit upfor one second; for a mismatch error in which the read set address andthe temporarily stored address do not match, a red display LED is lit upfor one second after a blue display LED was lit up for one second; for amemory-abnormality error in which the address storage section 6 does notreact normally, a receiving LED serving as the infrared receivingelement 7 or a transmitting and receiving yellow LED is lit up for onesecond.

While the LED unit 1 according to the embodiment includes a collectionof multiple displays LED 2 of RGB, the LED unit of the invention is notlimited to the embodiment but may include only one LED.

While the embodiment has been described for the LED unit 1 thatconstructs an LED display unit that displays images on a large screen,the invention may adopt the same structure for a LED for ornamentalpurposes such as illumination. For example, the infrared receivingelement of the ornamental display LED unit receives infrared lightincluding address information, a storage section stores the address, andthe ornamental display LED emits light in a specified pattern whenaddress setting is performed normally.

The encoding of data by the setting unit 10 and the decoding of data bythe LED unit 1 can have an appropriate structure in which the LED unit 1can verify the correctness of the received data, in addition to theabove-described embodiment. An appropriate structure may be employed forthe verification of the format. For example, a parity bit, a cyclicredundancy code (CRC) and so on can be used.

While the LED unit 1 according to the embodiment has been described fora structure in which address setting or writing is executed when theforegoing Conditions 1 and 2 are satisfied, a structure may be possiblein which address setting or writing is executed when either of theConditions 1 and 2 is satisfied. For example, the invention may have astructure in which at the point in time when the Condition 1 issatisfied and so the controller 5 recognizes the input of the bit stringor data, the controller 5 ignores or refuses the input of a displaycontrol signal and does not require the satisfaction of the Condition 2.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The invention can be applied to, for example, a light-emitting unitdisposed lengthwise and crosswise in large numbers to construct alarge-screen LED display unit.

1. A light-emitting unit constructing the unit of light emission of adisplay unit or the unit of light emission of an ornamental display,comprising: an infrared receiving element that receives data includingan address transmitted by infrared light; an address storage sectionthat stores the address; and a controller that recognizes an addressfrom the data and stores the address in the address storage section. 2.The light-emitting unit according to claim 1, wherein the datacontaining the address is data in a specific format whose correctnesscan be verified and the controller verifies the correctness of theformat of the data, and wherein only when the correctness of the formatis confirmed, the address is stored in the address storage section. 3.The light-emitting unit according to claim 1, wherein the controllerstores a predetermined time longer than the quiescent time of a displaycontrol signal of a display light emitter, and determines whether thequiescent mode is continued for more the predetermined time period orover the predetermined time period immediately before the recognition ofthe data input, and wherein only when the quiescent mode is continuedfor more the predetermined time period or over the predetermined timeperiod, the controller recognizes the address from the data.
 4. Thelight-emitting unit according to claim 1, wherein the controllerdetermines whether the quiescent mode is continued during a necessarytime from the recognition of the input of the data to the completion ofthe extraction of the address from the data, or from the recognition ofthe input of the data to the completion of the verification of theformat of the data, and wherein only when the quiescent mode iscontinued, the controller stores the address in the address storagesection.
 5. The light-emitting unit according to claim 1, wherein thecontroller stores the light-emission patterns of the display lightemitter for normal address setting and erroneous address setting, andwherein when normal a setting is recognized, the display light emitteris lit up in a normal-setting emission pattern, and when an error isrecognized, the display light emitter is lit up in a error-settingemission pattern.
 6. The light-emitting unit according to claim 2,wherein the controller stores a predetermined time longer than thequiescent time of a display control signal of a display light emitter,and determines whether the quiescent mode is continued for more thepredetermined time period or over the predetermined time periodimmediately before the recognition of the data input, and wherein onlywhen the quiescent mode is continued for more the predetermined timeperiod or over the predetermined time period, the controller recognizesthe address from the data.
 7. The light-emitting unit according to claim2, wherein the controller determines whether the quiescent mode iscontinued during a necessary time from the recognition of the input ofthe data to the completion of the extraction of the address from thedata, or from the recognition of the input of the data to the completionof the verification of the format of the data, and wherein only when thequiescent mode is continued, the controller stores the address in theaddress storage section.
 8. The light-emitting unit according to claim3, wherein the controller determines whether the quiescent mode iscontinued during a necessary time from the recognition of the input ofthe data to the completion of the extraction of the address from thedata, or from the recognition of the input of the data to the completionof the verification of the format of the data, and wherein only when thequiescent mode is continued, the controller stores the address in theaddress storage section.
 9. The light-emitting unit according to claim6, wherein the controller determines whether the quiescent mode iscontinued during a necessary time from the recognition of the input ofthe data to the completion of the extraction of the address from thedata, or from the recognition of the input of the data to the completionof the verification of the format of the data, and wherein only when thequiescent mode is continued, the controller stores the address in theaddress storage section.
 10. The light-emitting unit according to claim2, wherein the controller stores the light-emission patterns of thedisplay light emitter for normal address setting and erroneous addresssetting, and wherein when normal a setting is recognized, the displaylight emitter is lit up in a normal-setting emission pattern, and whenan error is recognized, the display light emitter is lit up in aerror-setting emission pattern.
 11. The light-emitting unit according toclaim 3, wherein the controller stores the light-emission patterns ofthe display light emitter for normal address setting and erroneousaddress setting, and wherein when normal a setting is recognized, thedisplay light emitter is lit up in a normal-setting emission pattern,and when an error is recognized, the display light emitter is lit up ina error-setting emission pattern.
 12. The light-emitting unit accordingto claim 4, wherein the controller stores the light-emission patterns ofthe display light emitter for normal address setting and erroneousaddress setting, and wherein when normal a setting is recognized, thedisplay light emitter is lit up in a normal-setting emission pattern,and when an error is recognized, the display light emitter is lit up ina error-setting emission pattern.
 13. The light-emitting unit accordingto claim 6, wherein the controller stores the light-emission patterns ofthe display light emitter for normal address setting and erroneousaddress setting, and wherein when normal a setting is recognized, thedisplay light emitter is lit up in a normal-setting emission pattern,and when an error is recognized, the display light emitter is lit up ina error-setting emission pattern.
 14. The light-emitting unit accordingto claim 7, wherein the controller stores the light-emission patterns ofthe display light emitter for normal address setting and erroneousaddress setting, and wherein when normal a setting is recognized, thedisplay light emitter is lit up in a normal-setting emission pattern,and when an error is recognized, the display light emitter is lit up ina error-setting emission pattern.
 15. The light-emitting unit accordingto claim 8, wherein the controller stores the light-emission patterns ofthe display light emitter for normal address setting and erroneousaddress setting, and wherein when normal a setting is recognized, thedisplay light emitter is lit up in a normal-setting emission pattern,and when an error is recognized, the display light emitter is lit up ina error-setting emission pattern.
 16. The light-emitting unit accordingto claim 9, wherein the controller stores the light-emission patterns ofthe display light emitter for normal address setting and erroneousaddress setting, and wherein when normal a setting is recognized, thedisplay light emitter is lit up in a normal-setting emission pattern,and when an error is recognized, the display light emitter is lit up ina error-setting emission pattern.